Thursday, July 14, 2011

Vintage Sea Mammal Husbandry--Lincoln Park Zoo 1957

4 comments:

Jim A. said...

The enclosure was in the basement of the then Reptile House. The pool was probably three feet deep, maybe 15' x 20', with a 20' x 4' dry area in the back (all a guess from long ago). Probably didn't have salt water but the low light level (lumens) were probably good for their eyes. Keeper looks familar maybe Mark Rosenthal would recall.

On one side of the sea lions were alligators, the other side North American river otters. On the other side of the basement was the Zoo Gems exhibit, small reptile displays. Behind these cages was a small studio for the Zoo Parade show.

Wade G. Burck said...

Jim,
Great insight, thank you. Those lumen deal's have played a greater part in Zoology then I would have ever expected. Were "guest's" allowed to go down in the basement, or was it just a holding area.
I have one of those Lincoln Park Zoo hat's in my collection of treasures that Mark gave me back in 1984, and I still have 9 inches of shelf space reserved for your white bucks when you have the heart to let them go. Right between a bar from Willie B's cage and a piece of tusk Gypsy broke off on Nic's ass, and just above a brick from the old Franklin Park Zoo elephant house. The Louve has nothing on me, and the Met can only wish for exhibits of that caliber.


Wade

Jim A. said...

Maybe it was refered to as the "lower level" but it was the basement. Guests got to see about half the basement. The rest was holding, storing, bins for mealworms, and other good, practical stuff.

As to the white bucks: I'm entertaining offers from the Smithsonian, Missouri History Museum, Ringling Museum and Baraboo - but I will certainly keep the Burck Archives in mind.

Wade G. Burck said...

Jim,
Thank you. I guess I am lucky the Lil Abner Museum in Dog Patch, Ark. declined the "gift" or I wouldn't even be considered. I appreciate it, Pal!!!!

Wade